Automatic washing machines with water-softening means



p 1965 s. BOROCHANER 3,204,767

AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES WITH WATER-SOFTENING MEANS Filed Feb. 20, 1964 N Q m Mixer f V OK Tub INVENTOR. STUART BOROCHANER United States Patent 3,204,767 AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES WITH WATER-SOFTENING MEANS Stuart Borochaner, 22 Parkside Circle, Levittown, Pa. Filed Feb. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 346,314 3 Claims. (Cl. 210-190) This invention relates to automatic clothes washing machines, and it particularly relates to machines of this type having means for softening hard water.

It has long been known that hard water, i.e., Water that contains relatively large amounts of calcium and magnesium, is undesirable for most household purposes such as cooking, :washing, and the like. It is known that fabrics which have been washed in detergent solutions of hard water are not as soft and pliable as fabrics that have been washed in soap solutions of soft Water because detergents .tend to remove the natural oils and moisture from the fibers of the fabrics. However, in hard water, it is necessary to use a great amount of detergents, even when using soap, because, otherwise, there is a tendency for .the soaps to react with the calcium or magnesium ions to form insoluble salts which precipitate upon the fabrics.

In order to overcome the above and other disadvantages inherent in the use of hard water, it has, heretofore, been the practice to soften the water by means of chemical water softeners which were added to the water either by hand or by means of dispensers usually mounted on the agitator of the machine. However, this required the constant addition of the water softener to each supply of fresh water and, since there is at least one wash step and at least one rinse step in each cycle of the machine, each step requiring fresh water, the cost of the water softener rapidly mounted up and often became prohibitive. Furthermore, not only was it often suddenly discovered, to the housewifes chagrin, that the supply of water softener had run out while washing was being done, but the chemical water softener was itself an additive, and, therefore, an impurity in the water.

It is one object of the present invention to overcome the aforementioned problems by providing an automatic clothes washing machine which is provided with water softening means that does not have to be replenished and that does not require the insertion of additives to the wash solution.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic clothes washing machine of the aforesaid type wherein the water softening means is integrated into the Washing cycle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic clothes Washing machine of the aforesaid type wherein the water softener means is constructed to selectively deliver softened water either to the Washing tub of the machine or to a separate outlet where it becomes available for other household uses.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will .be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

The single figure is a schematic View of a system embodying the present invention.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawing, the system comprises a washing machine tu b having a water inlet line 12 and an outlet line 14 connected through a normally closed valve 16 to a pump 18 which is of standard construction and .arrangement whereby it pumps the drainage from the outlet line 14 into a drain outlet 20. The inlet line '12 is connected through a normally open valve 22 to a manual valve 24. The valve 24 is constructed to be selectively positioned to direct fluid from a line 26 either through the valve 22 and line 12 into the .tub 10 or through the line 28 to a spigot 30 located on the outside of the machine and in an accessi ble position for the user.

The line 26 lead-s upwardly from an ion-exchange unit 32 which may take any of various known forms, the unit itself constituting no part of the present invention except within the disclosed combination. For example, an ionexchange unit of the type disclosed in US. Patent No. 1,557,117, dated October 13, 1925, may be used. The

ion-exchange resin, itself, may, of course, comprise any commercially available high efiiciency resin.

The water inlet into the ion-exchange unit 32 comprises the line 34 connecting with a valve 36. The valve 36 is so constructed that in one position it opens the line 34 to a mixing chamber 38 that is, in turn, connected to a master valve 40. Hot and cold water lines 42 and 44, respectively, lead into the master valve 40 from sources (not shown). When the valve 36 is in one position, it opens communication between the line 34 and mixing chamber 38 while simultaneously closing communication between a regenerating fluid tank 46 and an inlet line 48 leading into the top of the ion-exchange unit 32. When the valve 36 is moved to the alternate position, it closes communication between chamber 38 and line 34 while opening communication between tank 46 and line 48. A check valve 50 is interposed in the line 48 to prevent back-up flow through the line 48 when the flow is coming through line 34. When the valve 36 is in position to permit flow of the regenerating fluid, this fluid is drawn downwardly through the ion-exchange unit 32 and through an outlet line 52 to the drain 20 by pump 18. However, this can only take place when a normally closed valve 54 is open. The valve 36 may be actuated from one position to another either by any standard manual valve-operating means or by electrical means such as will be more fully described below.

The master valve 40 is of any standard type and is normally in the closed position whereby both the hot and cold water inlet-s are shut off; It may be -a piston type with two heads, one for each of the hot and cold inlets, which is moved into the open position by a solenoid 56, and which is urged into the closed position by a spring or the like. Manually adjustable means may, if desired, be provided to supply varying proportions of hot and cold water.

The solenoid 56 is electrically actuated by turning on the master switch 58. This master switch is also connected in series with a solenoid 60 controlling the valve 36, a solenoid 62 controlling the valve 54 and a solenoid 64 controlling the valve 16, as well as with a solenoid 66 controlling the valve 22. This series circuit leads through a normally open switch 68 of a relay 70, the switch 68 being simultaneously movable into and out of closed position with a normally open switch 72 by means of a solenoid 74. The solenoid 74 is in circuit with a normally open switch 76 having its return to the power source through line 78.

The switch 72 is adapted to close the circuit from the power source to the timer mechanism 80. This timer mechanism may comprise any standard type now in use, its cam-operated switch means causing the various agitation, spin, rinse, etc. steps in accordance with the particular type of machine within which the present invention is incorporated. It does, in all cases, control the actuation of the pump 18 in accordance with the cycling system. It, furthermore, is provided with a rotatable cam 82 having a notch at one portion of its cam surface. A follower 84 is engageable within this notch and is connected to a linearly movable switch 86. The timer is also operatively connected to a cam 88 with which is associated a follower 90 connected to a linearly movable switch 92 which, when open, opens the circuit to the solenoid 66.

The switch 76 is or the pressure-responsive type, being operatively connected to a tube communicating with the interior of the clothes basket within the tub 10. As the basket fills with water, the Water forces the air in the tube ahead of it and creates an air piston arrangement which operates the pressure switch when the pressure head of the Water in the tub reaches a predetermined level. This air-pressure type of water level control switch is common in the art and is, therefore, not illustrated in detail in the drawing.

In the operation of the machine, the master switch 58 is closed, thereby actuating the valve 40 to move into the open position to permit the hot and cold water, with their relative flow adjusted as desired, to flow into the mixing chamber 38. The valve 36 is normally in a position to permit passage of the liquid through line 34, upwardly through the ion-exchangeunit 32, where it becomes softened, and through valve 24. Unless the valve 24 is manually positioned to by-pass some or all the water t the spigot 30, the water flows through normally open valve 22 and into tub 10. At this time, the switch 68 is still open so that the solenoids 62 and 6,4 are unenergized and the valve 16 and 54 are closed while the valve 2.2 is open. Upon the water in the tub reaching the pre-. determined level, the switch 76 is closed, thereby energizing the solenoid 74 to close the switches 68 and 72 of the relay 70. When this happens, the solenoid 66 acts to. close the valve 22 while the solenoids 64 and 62 act to open the respective valves 16 and 54. At the same time, the solenoid 60 moves the valve 36 into the position wherein it shuts off flow to the ion-exchange unit from the mixing chamber 38 and opens the flow to the ion-exchange unit from the regeneration-fluid tank 46. Simultaneously, the switch 72 closes the circuit to the timer 80 which thereupon begins to rotate the cam 82. This causes the follower 84 to drop out of the notch in the cam and to ride along its cam surface. The follower 84 is biased, by a spring or the like to move against the cam and to hold the switch 86 open; however the cam surface of the cam, except at the area of the notch, is contoured to push the follower and switch into the switch closed position. This closed position is maintained throughout the rotation of the cam 82 and, since this period of rotation extends through one-half of the full cycle of the machine, the timer circuit remains closed throughout this period.

When the water level falls in the tub, the switch 76 opens. It would, thereby, normally. cause deenergization of the solenoids 60, 62, 64, 66 and 74. However, the

contour of the cam 88 is such that it maintains the circuits closed and opens them only in accordance with the predetermined contour of the cam 88' which is correlated with the desired, agitation, spin and rinse steps. In the circuit illustrated, the cams 82 and 88 rotate through 360 degrees once during each half of the cycle so that in a cycle consisting of wash, spin, rinse, spin and off, there is a pause between the first spinand the rinse during which the water level in the tub is allowed to close the switch 76 to repeat the first half cycle.

The timer actuates the pump 18 in synchronism With the opening of the valves 16 and 54 so that when these normally closed valves are open and the normally open.

valve 22 is closed, the pump draws the water from both the tub and the ion-exchange unit. Since at this time, the valve 36 is positioned to cause flow from the regeneration fluid tank into the ion-exchange unit, the pump will draw the regenerating fluid through the ion-exchange unit to drain.

The master valve .40 is provided with a manual operating means 94 which is preferably used when it is desired to withdraw the softened water from spigot 30 without energizing the master switch. This is preferable because if the machine were allowed to run without the flow of water into the tub, this would not only be a waste of electrical and mechanical energy but might cause damage to the machine.

Although the invention has been described above in relation to a clothes washing machine, the inventive concept is equally applicable to a dish washing machine or any similar device.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a washing machine having a wash tub in fluid connection with an ion-exchange chamber, an ion-exchange material in said chamber, a first inlet into said ion-exchange chamber, a first outlet from said ion-exchange chamber opposite said first inlet, a second inlet into and a second outlet from said ion-exchange chamber, said second inlet and outlet being opposed to each other in reversed position relative to said first inlet and outlet, said first and second inlets being in fluid communication with a selector valve, said selector valve being in alternate fluid communication with a source of liquid and a source of ion-exchange regenerating fluid, said selector valve being movable from a first position wherein it provides passage between said source of liquid and said first inlet to a second position wherein it provides passage between said source of regenerating fluid and said second inlet, and means for selectively moving said selector valve into and out of said first and second positions.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means for moving said selector valve comprises individually and selectively actuatable manual and electrical means.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein a by-pass outlet is in fluid connection with said ion-exchange chamber, said by-pass outlet having means to selectively withdraw liquid from said ion-exchange chamber as it passes therethrough from said source of liquid.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,450,054 3/23 Titus 68-131 2,304,454 12/42 Gudmundsen 6813.1 2,355,455 8/44 McPhilomy 6813.1 2,522,806 9/50 Stageberg 6813X 2,825,666 3/58 Stoddard 13458 2,885,879 5/59 Bloom 68--207 3,067,303 1-2/62 Bochan 68-207 3,087,504 4/63 Geschka "134-57 CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A WASHING MACHINE HAVING A WASH TUB IN FLUID CONNECTION WHT AN ION-EXCHANGE CHAMBER, AND ION-EX CHANGE MATERIAL IN SAID CHAMBER, A FIRST INLET INTO SAID ION-EXCHANGE CHAMBER, A FIRST OUTLET FROM SAID ION-EX CHANGE CHAMBER OPPOSITE SAID FIRST INLET, A SECOND INLET INTO AND A SECOND OUTLET FORM SAID ION-EXCHANGE CHAMBER, SAID SECOND INLET AND OUTLET BEING OPPOSED TO EACH OTHER IN REVERSED POSITION RELATIVE TO SAID FIRST INLET AND OUTLET SAID FIRST AND SECOND INLETS BEING IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH A SELECTOR VALVE, SAID SELECTOR VALVE BEING IN ALTERNATE FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH A SOURCE OF LIQUID AND A SOURCE OF ION-EXCHANGE REGENERATION FLUID, SAID SELECTOR VALVE BEING MOVABLE FROM A FIRST POSITION WHEREIN IT PROVIDES PASSAGE BETWEEN SAID SOURCE OF LIQUID AND SAID FIRST INLET TO A SECOND POSITION WHEREIN IT PROVIDES PASSGAE BETWEEN SAID SOURCE OF REGENERATION FLUID AND SAID SECOND INLET, AND MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY MOVING SAID SELECTOR VALVE INTO AND OUT OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS. 